3.3.5 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) took full effect in 2018 to replace the No Child Left Behind Act in modifying the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). If updates are provided by the California Department of Education, the following parent notice requirements may change and new notice requirements may be added.

Under ESSA, families have the following rights:

• Information regarding Professional Qualifications of Teachers, Paraprofessionals and Aides: Upon request, parents have a right to information regarding the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, and aides.  This includes whether the teacher meets the state qualifications and licensing criteria for the grades and subjects they teach, whether the teacher is teaching under an emergency permit or other provisional status because of special circumstances, the teacher’s college major, whether they have any advanced degrees and the subject(s) of those degrees, and whether any instructional aides or paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if so, their qualifications.  Districts shall also notify parents if their child has been assigned to or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.  
• Information regarding Individual Student Reports on statewide assessments: Upon request, parents have a right to information on the level of achievement of their student on every State academic assessment administered to the student.
• Limited English Proficient Students: The Act requires prior notice be given to parents of limited English proficient students regarding the limited English proficiency programs, including the reasons for the identification of the student as limited English proficient, the need of placement in a language instruction educational program, the student’s level of English proficiency, how such level was assessed, the status of the student’s academic achievement, the methods of instruction used in the programs available, how the recommended program will meet the student’s needs, program performance, parent options to remove student from a program and/or decline initial enrollment, and expected rate of transition into classrooms not tailored to limited English proficient students.  

Parents shall be notified when their child’s school is identified as a “program improvement” school and the opportunities for school choice and supplemental instruction.

Non-Release of Information to Armed Forces Recruiters: Upon written request, parents may direct that their student’s name, address and telephone listing not be released without prior written parental consent.